International Olympic Committee : News

Windsurfing YOG medallist Kieran Martin sails to victory

10/2/2013 11:24:00 AM

Now, with a successful summer behind him in which he was crowned RS:X ISAF Youth World Sailing Champion, Kieran is looking forward to hitting the books at university and preparing for Rio 2016.

What did you learn at the first Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010?

The main thing I learnt was how to be around different people from all around the world, as to some it could feel very overwhelming. The main idea was to speak with and get to know as many people as possible. It is great getting to know people and it makes everything feel a lot easier as you have people to hang out with.

Do you feel the YOG has helped you prepare for other international competitions?

It has helped more off the water rather than on it. It helped with being much more independent as you have no parents there; you have to do most things yourself. It also helped a lot with media as it was being thrown in at the deep end - from not really doing anything to do with media to cameras and interviews every day. You learn to have sentences for everything, which helps.

Are you aiming for Rio 2016?

That would be a dream goal yes, but I think the more realistic target would be 2020 as I will be dealing with university and sailing. But after that, I will be able to just focus on one thing, which would make life much easier.

Do you have any words of wisdom for those young athletes hoping to compete in the Youth Olympic Games?

It is probably the best thing I have been to, everything about it was amazing. Just soak up everything there because it would be some amazing memories! Work your hardest to go to one of the best things you will experience.

London delivers final report, as Games report to Session

9/8/2013 9:00:00 PM

Reflecting on the past seven years, Coe underlined the tremendous successes that LOCOG and all its partners had been able to achieve during the seven years of preparations and, of course, in the delivery of the Games. He also focused on the outstanding legacy that London 2012 has delivered to the city of London, Great Britain, sport, and the Olympic Movement.

This was supported by Denis Oswald, the IOC’s Coordination Commission Chairman for the London Games, who commented, “[LOCOG’s] vision was to use the power of the Games to inspire a generation and transform a neglected part of the capital, bringing major social and economic benefits to a deprived area. This has been a spectacular illustration of the power of the Games to change people’s lives and to modify the face of a city.” LOCOG’s presentation concluded with a standing ovation led by IOC President Rogge in thanks for the work of the British team in delivering the Games.

The organisers of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games were up next with their President Dmitry Chernyshenko updating the Session on their preparations with only five months to go until the Games open. Chernyshenko spoke of the great progress that had been made in delivering venues and infrastructure, as well as in the finalization of Sochi’s operational plans.

Coordination Commission Chairman Jean-Claude Killy noted, “An intensive programme of test events, which was delivered mostly this past winter by Sochi 2014 and the Russian Sports Ministry, has been the most obvious example [of the progress made since last summer]. In total, almost 70 test events have been organized by Sochi. Whether they were of an international or local dimension, they have all been rich in lessons for Sochi 2014 and its partners. They have confirmed the quality of the competition venues and of the teams that will be called upon to operate them at the start of next year.”

Following the fifth visit of the IOC’s Coordination Commission to Rio de Janeiro only a week ago, the hosts of the 2016 Games, led by their President Carlos Arthur Nuzman, presented an update on the advances that were being made in a number of areas of Games preparations including venue and infrastructure construction, planning, and legacy.

Nawal El Moutawkel, Chair of the IOC’s Coordination Commission for the Rio 2016 Games, spoke of the progress that Rio had accomplished since their last session report in London last July. “Rio 2016 has made significant progress over the last year,” she said. El Moutawakel continued by emphasising that Rio 2016 had identified the key opportunities and risks and was learning the lessons of other major events that were being held in Brazil: “The opportunities and risks are now well identified. The Rio 2016 team, under the leadership of Carlos Nuzman and the new CEO, Sidney Levy, is adjusting its plans accordingly. They are also taking into account the lessons learned from the Confederations Cup and the World Youth Day.”

The last Games report was delivered by President Jinsun Kim and his team from the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee, who presented their new emblem to the Session and the advances that were being made in delivering the Korea’s first Olympic Winter Games.

IOC Coordination Commission Chair Gunilla Lindberg also looked to the future, by reminding the Korean delegation that they would have an unparalleled opportunity to learn from their observation of the Sochi Games and that once Sochi was over PyeongChang would really be under the spotlight, as the world turned its attention to Korea and the 2018 Games.

Rio 2016 working to deliver lasting legacy

9/2/2013 4:30:00 PM

Solid progress was also made in a number of other areas, such as venue modelling, test event preparation, accommodation, sustainability, spectator experience, and marketing, among others.

The FIFA Confederations Cup and the World Youth Day have both allowed Rio 2016 and its partners to check their planning assumptions and to learn important lessons from these events. However, the large amount of work still to be completed across the entire project means that timelines still remain very tight and Rio must continue to focus on its top priorities, such as completing the matrix of responsibilities and delivering the venues and associated infrastructure.

Speaking at the end of the meeting, IOC Coordination Commission Chair Nawal El Moutawakel commented: “Twenty-nine weeks after our last Commission visit to Rio de Janeiro, we’ve been able to see progress in a number of areas and a good understanding from the organisers and their government partners about the areas that they need to prioritise.” She continued: “However, when we award the Games to a city, our work is not just to look at the preparations for the Games themselves but also to look at their legacy and to help the city and country to maximise the benefits of being an Olympic host. We have been impressed by the commitment of the Rio 2016 team to ensure that legacy is at the heart of everything they do, and whether it is developing transport infrastructure, building an education programme, or leaving a sporting heritage to the city, Rio 2016 is making sure that nothing is left to chance.”

The strong support of the local authorities for the Games was once again evident during the Commission’s visit, as all three levels of government – Federal, State, and City – were represented at the very highest levels. This participation helped to support the discussions around the Games legacy, as it was made clear that the legacy of the Olympics and Paralympics was aligned with the legacy needs of the city, state and country. Recent events in Brazil have also underlined the importance of having a strong legacy from events like the Games, and the authorities are ensuring that they are used to helping deliver what their citizens are requesting. In areas as varied as transport, education, medical, procurement, spectrum management, accessibility and venue construction, the partnership between the IOC, Rio 2016 and the local authorities is providing benefits not just for the period of the Games but beyond and for generations to come.

Some examples of this legacy include:

• Four new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines and a new metro line
• 800,000 students across Brazil have access to increased sports activities
• Rio 2016 has formed partnerships with industry associations to help small businesses supply goods and services to the Games
• Expansion of the Rio pacification programme
• Revitalisation of the Rio Port area
• Reforestation of areas earmarked for venue construction

The President of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee, Carlos Arthur Nuzman, commented: “We thank the Coordination Commission for its continuous support and guidance. We understand the complexity of the task ahead of us. By working together with the three levels of government, we are confident that we will deliver unforgettable Games.”

During the two days of meetings, the Commission also received updates on preparations in areas such as athletes and National Olympic Committees services; sport and International Federation services; the Paralympic Games; media services; venues and infrastructure; Games operations; marketing; engagement; and technology.

The Commission will return to Rio de Janeiro next year in March for its sixth visit. This will be the first visit after Rio becomes the next host city in line following the closing of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

###

For all other questions, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org.

Videos
YouTube: www.youtube.com/iocmedia

Photos
For an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on Flickr.
To request archive photos and footage, please contact our Images team at: images@olympic.org.

Social media
For up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Dow’s London 2012 stadium wrap reused in Rio social project

8/28/2013 9:00:00 AM

The specialised wrap, which was provided by Worldwide Olympic Partner Dow and featured fabric coated with technology from Dow Elastomers, has been installed at the Bola Pra Frente Institute – a social project that provides education for socially-vulnerable children and teenagers in the Muquiço community of Rio de Janeiro, which will host the 2016 Olympic Games.

Panels from the wrap have been installed as shades at the Institute’s headquarters to increase the available space for outdoor activities. The installation of the shades also offered an opportunity to provide training and work to eight young people in the Muquiço community, who installed the panels and canopies after going through a training programme.

"The opportunity to bring one of our company’s key innovations from the London 2012 Olympic Games to Bola Pra Frente, a social project located at the next Olympic host city, emphasises Dow's commitment to the Olympic Games and to Rio de Janeiro," said George Hamilton, vice president, Dow Olympic Operations.

In addition to the Bola Pra Frente Institute in Brazil, panels from the stadium wrap will also be donated to an organisation in Uganda, which is dedicated to the education and social inclusion of children exposed to the hardships of the country’s civil war.

The remaining panels will then be recycled to be used as material for packaging, flooring and building applications.

Salvador stadium officially opens

4/8/2013 1:30:00 PM

The brand new stadium, built at a cost of nearly US$300m, has been selected to stage the Olympic football tournament in 2016. This summer, three matches of the FIFA Confederations Cup will take place in the arena, and it will also stage six FIFA World Cup matches in 2014.

The arena has maintained its original identity, keeping its horseshoe shape with a large opening in the southern part of the stands. The opening establishes a direct relation to the adjacent inner city lake and, simultaneously, provides optimal airflow in the stadium bowl itself.

The unique form also means the arena can be used for other events all year round, as stages for concerts and theatre events can be put in the area at the opening without conflicting with the pitch and the football matches during the football season.

Sustainability was key to the design and construction of Arena Fonte Nova, with materials carefully selected in order to minimise the stadium’s energy consumption, and concrete from the former stadium recycled and used as building material. It also uses rainwater to reduce water consumption.

Brazil President Dilma Rousseff, speaking at the inauguration ceremony prior to the opening match, said: “We are an unbeatable country. We will show that Brazil can deliver great quality to the Confederations Cup, the World Cup and the Olympics.”

Rio 2016 moves to new headquarters

3/12/2013 11:03:00 AM

The modern building, which has been designed to be as sustainable and accessible as possible, will house both the Rio 2016 Organising Committee and the Municipal Olympic Company until after the Games have been held.

“Having all teams gathered in a single building, together with the Municipal Olympic Company, makes our task easier and helps to integrate the teams,” explained Rio 2016 President Carlos Arthur Nuzman.

Modular technology was used during construction of the new headquarters, allowing faster assembly as well as the possibility of dismantling and reusing the structure after the Games.

The building also features rainwater harvesting and energy saving systems, as well as furniture made of certified wood. The air conditioning and lighting systems also help reduce energy use, while solar energy panels will help power the building.

Accessibility was also carefully considered during construction, with ramps and elevators enabling wheelchair access and Braille signposting and tactile floor coverings aiding orientation for blind visitors.

“Modernity and sustainability mark the new headquarters,” added Nuzman. “The modular construction is an innovation that better suits our project. We will use the building according to the Committee’s growth demands and, in the end, it will be possible to dismantle the structure, to reuse it elsewhere.”

Rio 2016 contingent keen to learn from London’s experience

8/8/2012 8:00:00 AM

A team of 152 staff, all of whom will be participating in the IOC’s Observation Programme, and 51 representatives of different levels of government will share their learnings from the London event at a debriefing back in Rio in November 2012.

The team makes up roughly half of Rio 2016 and will carry out a variety of different functions during their time in London. Many will act as on-site ‘observers’, where they will learn about different operational practices involved in the staging of an Olympic Games, while others will participate as shadows of professionals of the London Organising Committee.

José Arthur Peixoto, responsible for the Observer Programme during the London Games, said in July: “The world’s eyes will turn to us right after the closing of the London Games. It is a very important moment from a strategic viewpoint. We will learn through the experience.”

Rio 2016 is already promising to be a fantastic Games, with plans for the transformation of the city already underway. Of the 34 competition venues, 18 are already operating and just 26 per cent of the sports venues will need to be built thanks to existing infrastructure in place from hosting previous international events.

Rio 2016 celebrates four years to go

8/6/2012 3:51:00 PM

Four years ahead of the Opening Ceremony, the Rio organisers noted how a number of major construction works needed for the Rio Olympic Games were under way, including Line 4 of the Metro system and the renovation of the port district. Within the last year, work has begun on the Olympic Park, located in the Barra zone, which will occupy a site covering 1.18 million square metres and will host a total of nine sports.

The foundations of the Olympic Village buildings are also already being laid, after groundwork preparations, and the design for the golf course has been selected. With regard to infrastructure, work on the Transolimpica Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line started in July 2012, and funding for the Transbrasil BRT link and the Light Rail Transit line in the port area has been guaranteed.

Besides highlighting the progress in preparations, President Nuzman noted the work that the 152 observers from the Organising Committee were undertaking at the London 2012 Games: “With four years to go, we continue to learn and be inspired here, and, at the same time, we are making significant progress in our home town. We can already feel the transformational power of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in a very tangible way.”

The city’s transformations last year included the opening of the new Sambodromo (venue for the start and finish of the Olympic marathon and archery contest), and the Transoeste BRT system is now in operation and open to the general public. Nuzman also noted that, one week from today, the eyes of the world would turn to Rio when the city would receive the Olympic flag during the London 2012 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony.

Work begins on Rio 2016 Olympic Park

7/10/2012 9:00:00 AM

The installations in Rio’s Olympic Park are expected to cover an area of 1.18 million square meters, which will cater for 14 Olympic disciplines: basketball, judo, taekwondo, wrestling, handball, tennis, cycling, diving, water polo, swimming, synchronized swimming, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline gymnastics. Nine Paralympic disciplines will also be staged there: wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, bocce, judo, sitting volleyball, goalball, wheelchair tennis, cycling and swimming.

Carlos Arthur Nuzman, the President of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said as work commenced: “Today is a historical day for Brazilian sport. The Olympic Park is the heart of the Games, and after 2016 it will leave as a legacy the first Olympic Training Camp in South America.”

Rogge in Rio

1/3/2011 1:45:00 PM

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge was in the 2016 host city of Rio de Janeiro last week to check up on the preparations for the first-ever South American Olympic Games. In his first visit to the Brazilian city since its election in October 2009, Rogge was able to participate in the laying of the foundation stone for Rio’s Olympic Village, launch a design competition for the Olympic Park, meet with local political figures, see the role that the Games are playing in transforming the city, and participate in the launch of Rio 2016’s new Olympic emblem in front of almost two million passionate New Year’s Eve revellers on Copacabana Beach.

Creating the Olympic Dream

A key part of Rogge’s visit to Brazil was seeing the progress being made on the Rio 2016 project, as the Organising Committee works to create its Olympic dream. Accompanied by the President of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee, Carlos Arthur Nuzman, and IOC Coordination Commission Chair Nawal El Moutawakel, the IOC President was able to appreciate first-hand the size and scale of what is being undertaken in the future host city. His visit also coincided with a number of important milestones in Rio’s calendar of preparations, with the foundation stone being laid for the 2016 Olympic Village, a design competition being launched for Rio’s Olympic Park, and the new emblem of the Games being successfully presented to the world on 31 December on Copacabana Beach.

Passion and Transformation

Speaking at the start of his visit, Rogge underlined the importance that the IOC places on the Games delivering a good legacy for sport and the local community. In Rio, they have clearly taken this to heart, as throughout his time in Brazil, the theme of legacy and how the Olympic Games were helping to drive the creation of a new Rio and Brazil was continually reemphasised by the local authorities. Rogge was able to appreciate a few ways in which the Games have already acted as a catalyst for Rio, as Mayor Eduardo Paes showed him the advances that were being made in the construction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines, the new metro line four, the revitalisation taking place in the port area, and Rio’s new main operations centre, which was inaugurated during his visit. However, the legacy for Rio is more than just physical, it is also human; and Rogge saw this for himself, when he visited the Pavão-Pavãozinho community – which has benefited from the new UPP policing system - and met with some of its residents. The use of sport to improve lives and the passion of the Brazilian people for the Games clearly shone through during his short time with them.

Political Support

One of the key factors for the success of the Games in any country is strong political support from all levels of government, and this was clearly evident in Rio. During meetings held at the start of the visit, Nawal El Moutawakel met with Mayor Paes, Rio Governor Sérgio Cabral, and Brazilian Sports Minister Orlando Silva before briefing the IOC President. Rogge then personally met with the Mayor and Governor, before flying to Brasilia to attend the inauguration of President Dilma Rousseff, whom he then met personally later in the day. Each level of government underlined its support for the Games and how crucial their winning had been in helping to advance the state of the city, region and country. They were all clear on the need for close integration between all levels of government and with the Rio 2016 Organising Committee concerning the 2016 project, and were confident that they would deliver great Games in 2016.

RIO 2016

Rio de Janeiro was elected on 2 October 2009 as the host city of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad at the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen, Denmark. Rio was elected in the third round of voting, beating the cities of Chicago (United States), Tokyo (Japan) and Madrid (Spain). Rio defeated Madrid in the third round of voting by 66 votes to 32, with Chicago and Tokyo already having been eliminated in the first and second rounds respectively. Rio 2016 will have 28 sports on its programme and will run from 5 till 21 August 2016.